Ipswich boxing star Fabio Wardley won the British heavyweight title by stopping Nathan Gorman with an incredible display of power tonight.
Wardley, now 15-0 (14 KO) likely lost the first round and then looked to have had his nose broken and be in trouble in the second.
But, with blood streaming from his damaged nose, he simply went to war, dropping Gorman (now 19-2, 13KO) with two big right hands to seize the advantage and win the round.
Fabio Wardley celebrates his win with head coach Rob Hodgins (Image: Matthew Pover/Matchroom Boxing)
Gorman came out looking surprisingly fresh in the third, with both men taking a brief breather, before Wardley sat Gorman down for a third time with his cruel, spiteful hands.
He rose again, this time looking in more trouble, and his corner duly saved their man from further Wardley weaponry by throwing in the towel.
With that, Wardley was the British champion - just the second fighter ever from Suffolk to claim a Lonsdale belt (David Starie was the first) and the first to wear heavyweight gold.
Remarkably, he's done it with no amateur career, having turned pro after just four white collar fights.
Fabio Wardley and his head coach Rob Hodgins (Image: Matthew Pover/Matchroom Boxing)
He said: "It feels pretty good. It's been a pretty mental journey to throw myself into the scene and boxing as a whole - and so far so good!
"I seem to be doing alright, I'm putting on some good fights and having some good dust-ups.
"I'm feeling like I can do anything - conquer the world."
He added: "I come from that Dillian Whyte school of hard knocks. We've had plenty of fights in the gym, plenty of scraps - that's nothing new to me, you just haven't seen it on fight night, but I got to give everyone a sneak preview of what it's like if I want to go to war.
"Nathan's a good operator. He throws some good shots and he caught me a few times, but I'm used to taking big shots - I've sparred with some of the biggest and baddest boys in the ring, so it's no problem to me.
"I just bite down on that gumshield and move forward."
Wardley, 27, continued: "I'm ready for big fights. I want to be headlining shows.
"2023 is the year of Fabio Wardley. It's the year I really kick on and really get stuck in - and everyone that's supported me is coming along for the ride!"
Fabio Wardley stands over a stricken Nathan Gorman (Image: Matthew Pover/Matchroom Boxing)
Promoter Eddie Hearn said: "That was perfect, an old school heavyweight tear up.
"People were talking in the build-up to this fight about amateur pedigree and white collar pedigree, but the experience you can't buy is the ability to bite down on the gumshield.
"That's what turned the fight. Nathan Gorman started the fight very well, Fabio was buzzed in the second round - but every time we've seen him buzzed, Fabio comes back with a vengeance.
"Pedigree means nothing when you've got the ability to do that, and that was a really good heavyweight performance from someone who's still learning.
"It's a massive achievement to win the British title from that background, but I really feel like it's just the beginning."
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